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Sunday, August 1

Changing a Room with Curtains

I think curtains can really make or break a room. They are one of the best ways to incorporate colors & textures that will set the tone for the rest of the room. These are the curtains I put up when we got married:

and they have been great for the last 2 1/2 years, but they just don't give my living room the feeling I want it to have. I want it to feel light and airy and comfortable. Our living room is small and I just felt that these curtains weren't making it feel any bigger. They were too dark and hung too tight to the window (I didn't know better!). So I saved up some dollars and splurged on these beauties at Ikea!

Aaaaahhhhh..... I love them. Light. Fresh. Natural. And with hints of muted color to keep it interesting. You may be thinking, "White curtains with white walls?" I know, I thought the same thing before I bought them. But remember my living room is small, and softer transitions from one surface to another will make it seem less crowded (since your visual line isn't broken up by drastic changes in color). So these are actually working out PERFECTLY.

I mentioned that I splurged on these, but for such an important item like this I want to make sure it's something I love because I know I won't want to shell out cash to replace it any time soon. I was looking into making curtains, being thrifty you know, but once I saw these curtains I couldn't find any fabric that I like as much. AND when I counted the cost of buying enough fabric to make curtains & line them (these are lined) it wouldn't be much cheaper than buying them. That is one of my favorite things about Ikea. Low prices!
I got the rods at Ikea and chose wall brackets that can hold two rods so I can add a layer of sheers later if I want to.

Don't the windows look bigger? And bigger windows make any room feel bigger! The difference is the way I hung them this time. High & wide. These panels are long enough that I could hang them right up at the ceiling. I also extended the rods about 1 1/2 feet past the window on each side so when the curtains are pulled open they cover just past the window frame, leaving most of the window exposed so it feels bigger. And it made such a difference. I also like the look of them hanging straight instead of being tied back like they were before. A little more contemporary, maybe?

I love the way this room feels now! And that's the most important thing. Making it feel like home.

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Hi! I'm Georgia! I'm a full time wife & mommy, a lover of yard sales, curb finds, DIY, and all things thrifty. I'm always looking for low cost ways to make this place feel like home. More about me and my family